The Congress on Sunday took a swipe at the Delhi government over its cloud seeding experiment for improving air quality and said getting slight improvement in a limited area for a day or two as is now being claimed is a "cruel joke".

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Delhi government has spent Rs 34 crore on the winter cloud seeding experiment in order to improve air quality.

On December 5, 2024, the Union Minister of State of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, had answered a question in the Rajya Sabha saying that three specialised agencies -- the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCT, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the Indian Meteorological Department -- had clearly advised against winter cloud seeding to improve air quality in Delhi, Ramesh said.

Then on October 31, 2025 --- that is just the day before yesterday -- the well-known and prestigious Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi issued a detailed report on the subject which makes it clear that winter cloud seeding will not help improve the atrocious air quality in Delhi in any significant manner, he said.

Winter cloud seeding certainly looks very dramatic and gives the impression that something is demonstrably being done by the government, he said.

"But when the overwhelming scientific consensus raises so many doubts and serious questions on its efficacy, is it wise to lay so much store by it except as a headline-grabbing measure? the Congress leader said.

"Getting 'slight improvement in a limited area for a day or two' as is now being claimed is really a cruel joke," Ramesh said.

He also shared on X the environment minister's reply in the Rajya Sabha and the IIT Delhi report Ramesh's remarks come two days after Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said science-driven action and enforcement are delivering results as the city's AQI showed a substantial decline and rubbished allegations of data tampering.

The Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that while returning to the Delhi air from Wayanad first, then Bachwara in Bihar is truly shocking.

The pollution enveloping this city is like a grey shroud thrown over it, Priyanka Gandhi said on X.

"It's really about time all of us get together regardless of our political compulsions and do something about it. The central and state governments need to act immediately, we will all support and cooperate with whatever actions they choose to take to mitigate this awful situation," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi said year after year the citizens of Delhi are subjected to this toxicity with no recourse.

"Those who suffer from respiratory issues, children who commute to school every day and senior citizens especially, need urgent intervention to clear the filthy smog we are all breathing," the Congress leader said and asked PM Modi, Environment Minister Yadav and the Delhi CM to take immediate steps.

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' on Sunday as slow wind speed reduced dispersion of pollutants over the city, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 386 in the morning, a considerable rise from 303 on Saturday, CPCB data showed.

The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi said wind speed dropped below 8 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night, reducing the dispersion of pollutants.

Seventeen monitoring stations recorded 'severe' air quality with readings above 400. Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 439. Twenty other stations reported 'very poor' air quality with readings above 300, the CPCB's Sameer app showed.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had also said that pollution data cannot be manipulated or tampered with.

The opposition has repeatedly criticised the government's cloud seeding trials and has accused the BJP government in Delhi of manipulating the AQI data to conceal the grim situation.